Multiple unit file



1|.. W. KARLEN ZJZGAH MULTIPLE UNIT FILE Filed Nov. 23, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 9, 1938 UETED STATES PATENT OFFHQE MULTIPLE UNIT FILE Application November 23, 1935, Serial No. 51,330

4 Claims.

This invention relates to paper files and binders. The invention provides a paper file for independently mounting groups of papers in attached relation in a file in such a manner that independent access to the papers in any group may be had for reference, or the attachment or removal thereof.

The invention comprehends the provision of a suitable folder or backing sheet for supporting the file having a bendable prong paper fastener, and a series of filler sheets. Each filler sheet has a bendable prong fastener on a sheet supporting section thereof and an attaching section formed for engagement on the fastener of another ller i5 sheet, or the fastener on a folder or backing sheet. Each of the filler sheets may be attached one to the other in successive order and the end sheet attached to the folder or backing sheet by means of the attaching portion. The attaching portions are in each case located at the same side of the sheet supporting section as the fastener, so that independent groups of sheets may be engaged on the bendable prongs of each fastener on top of the attaching portion of a superimposed ller sheet, thereby providing for independent attachment and removal of sheets from any fastener in the usual manner without interfering with the attachment of one ller sheet to another or to the folder or backing member. Reference may be had to any sheet of any group through moving the sheet supporting section of the overlying ller sheet away from the group of sheets to which reference is to be made. This provides for the application and removal of sheets, or 3, reference thereto, in any group through the usual manner of using the bendable prongs on the fastener mounting the desired papers, the ller sheets moving the overlying groups of sheets away from the one desired to entirely uncover the deg sired group.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a file constructed according to the invention in perspective, using a folder for supporting and containing the file papers and a group of filler sheets attached to one another and to the file in successive relation, the folder being shown open and one of the filler sheets and the group of sheets mounted thereon being turned upwardly and away from the adjacent group of sheets in the file to provide access thereto.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows two ller sheets in perspective, one

of which is shown elevated above the other and arranged at an angle thereto for illustrating the details of construction of the ller sheets, one of the ller sheets having a portion broken away to show the method of mounting the paper fastener.

Fig. 5 shows another form of filler sheet construction in perspective.

A suitable backing or supporting structure for the file is provided by the invention and as illustrated in the drawings is shown in the form of a folder I having covers 2 and 3 provided with a flexible connection 4 providing a hinged connection in forming the folder so papers may be enclosed between the covers.

The cover 2 is formed with an index tab 5, when desired, for receiving the usual indexing information used for indexing the le in a manner well known in the art.

A bendable prong fastener 6, preferably of the type having a base 'I with a pair of separated prongs 8, is mounted on the cover 2 at the upper end as illustrated in Fig. 1. rIhe base portion 'I of the fastener is engaged against the back of i cover 2 having an offset portion 9 formed in the cover to receive the fastener base l. Bendable prongs 8 extend through slots in cover 2 and project through the front side or inside of cover 2 in order to receive and mount a group of papers indicated generally at IE] in Figs. 2 and 3 and secure the same to cover 2. Bendable prongs 8 project through the papers forming the group Iii in the usual and well known manner and have the ends bent downwardly against the upper face of the paper preferably by extending the ends outwardly away from each other in the manner illustrated in the drawings.

Other groups of papers may be secured in the folder in independent relation by means of this invention. For this purpose a filler sheet II is provided for each additional group of papers. Each filler sheet comprises a sheet supporting section I2 having an extension from one end forming an attaching portion or flexible or foldable section designated I3, terminating in a marginal portion or section III formed with openings I5 at properly spaced intervals for receiving bendable prongs 8. Marginal portion I4 forms an attaching margin for attaching the filler sheet to another filler sheet or to the folder.

Each filler sheet is provided with a fastener I6 having .a base portion I'I engaged against the back face of sheet supporting section I2. A pair of bendable prongs I8 extend through openings in the sheet supporting section and project from the opposite or upper face of the filler sheet.

Fasteners I6 are duplicates of fasteners 6 for securing uniformity in the file and provide for interchangeability of ller sheets. The fasteners I6 are mounted in the backing sheets in the same manner that fastener 6 is mounted in cover 2. Since fastener 6 is located at the upper end of cover 2, a fastener I6 has been located at the upper end of sheet supporting section I2 on each filler sheet and adjacent to the end of the sheet from which the attaching portion or exible intermediate section I3 of the filler sheet extends. This provides a uniform relation between the several fasteners so that in the assembled file they will be mounted in the corresponding position in the file and superimposed in the closed position of the le as shown in Fig. 3.

One of the ller sheets II has the attaching portion I4 engaged over prongs 8 of fastener 6 in the manner illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the prongs 8 extending through the apertures or slots I5. Where it is desired to support more than one group of sheets in the folder, these filler sheets are used and the attaching portion of the filler sheet has its marginal portion I4 engaged over the fastener prongs 8 in the folder before papers are filed on prongs 8. In this Way marginal portion I4 of a filler sheet II will be located adjacent to the inner face of cover 2. The body of sheets IU applied to fastener prongs 8 will then lie on top of marginal portion I4 of the first filler sheet.

The first filler sheet may be moved upwardly and away from the top face of the papers on fastener prongs 8, the bendable or flexible intermediate section I3 providing for this operation in the file so that full access to apply, remove or refer to papers on prongs 8 may be had in a highly convenient manner.

The drawings show the application of several filler sheets in the file in order to illustrate that where more than one filler sheet is used in the file, the second ller sheet Will have the marginal portion I4 thereof applied by inserting the prongs I8 on the fastener I Ii carried by the rst ller sheet through apertures I5 of the second filler sheet. Then a group of papers may be independently applied to prongs I8 on the fastener of the first filler sheet, a group of such papers being indicated at I9. A third filler sheet may be applied to the fastener on the second filler sheet in the same manner and a body of papers may then be applied to the fastener prongs I8 of the fastener on the second filler sheet. Where no additional filler sheets are to be used, another f' group of papers 2I may be applied to the fastener on the third filler sheet.

Figure 1 illustrates the use of three filler sheets with the groups of papers independently mounted on the fasteners of each sheet and the folder as above described. Figure l also illustrates the third ller sheet moved away from the group of papers carried by the fastener on the second ller sheet to illustrate how access may be had to the group of papers carried by any ller sheet or by the fastener on the folder for reference to such papers or for the manipulation of the prongs for applying or removing papers from any fastener without disturbing any of the papers carried by the other fasteners and forming the other independent groups of papers.

Index tabs 22 may be provided on the edges of the ller sheets and where it is desired to use a series of filler sheets in a single file, these filler sheets may be made so that the tabs on each successive sheet are offset laterally one from the other in order to provide full visibility of each of the tabs. As illustrated by the drawings the filler sheets are preferably constructed of a larger size than the sheets of paper that will be filed on the fasteners carried thereby in order to provide a marginal portion on each ller sheet projecting beyond the margin of the filed papers. In this way the tabs 22 will project outwardly away from the .filed papers in the folder and supplement the index on tab 5 of the folder so that ready reference may be made to a desired group of papers by selecting the proper tab.

With the folder and filler sheets constructed as above described and as illustrated in the drawings, it will be noted that when the papers are in led relation all of the ller sheets will be superimposed one on the other so that the different groups of correspondence or papers in the file will be superimposed one upon the other. In

this position the fasteners will be in superimposed :i

aligned relation and the base portion of one fastener will lie between the outwardly extending prongs of the fastener below as shown in Fig. 3, and in this way extra thicknesses of material in superimposed relation creating a build-up in the le will be reduced to a minimum.

It will be understood that the fasteners may be placed in the folder in any position, for example, instead of the fastener being mounted in the back cover 2 at the upper end, it may be placed along the side adjacent hinge strip 4 connecting the covers, or in any other desired position. The fasteners in the ller sheets may also be arranged in any position on the filler sheets and the attaching portion may be formed on any margin of the sheet supporting section of the ller sheet.

For example, a ller sheet may be constructed as shown in Fig. 5 indicated by numeral 23. The filler sheet 23 is provided with sheet supporting section 24 having an index tab on one margin at 25 and an attaching portion comprising a flexible section 26 and attaching margin 21 formed along and extending from a side edge of sheet supporting section 24. A bendable prong paper fastener 28 is mounted along the side margin of the sheet instead of at the end, as illustrated. This type of filler sheet would be used in a folder or with a backing member that would preferably have the paper fastener mounted in a corresponding position along the side to that shown in Fig. 5.

In order to provide the intermediate section I3 so that it will be readily exible and will hinge in a substantially uniform manner, section I3 is scored along lines 29 and 3|! where section I3 joins with sheet supporting section I2 and marginal portion I4 respectively. The intermediate portions of flexible section I3 may also be scored so that it will readily bend and adjust its shape to conform with the file in which the ller sheet is placed and expand with an increase in the thickness of the group of papers that will lie between marginal portion I 4 and sheet supporting section I2.

The invention claimed is:

1. A multiple unit file comprising a backing member, a bendable prong fastener mounted on said backing member for detachably receiving and securing a unit of sheets to said backing member, a filler sheet having a sheet supporting portion, a mounting margin and a flexible section connecting said margin to said sheet supporting portion, and a bendable prong fastener mounted on said sheet supporting portion, said mounting margin having the prongs of said first-mentioned fastener engaged therethrough for attaching said margin to said backing member between a unit of sheets thereon and said backing member, and said sheet supporting portion being movable on said flexible section into and out of superimposed relation on the sheet unit carried by the firstmentioned fastener, said second-mentioned fastener being adapted to detachably support another sheet unit independent of the first whereby the sheets in each unit may be independently removed and replaced on the fastener thereof without disturbing the assembly of the filler sheet and backing member.

2. A multiple unit file comprising a backing member, a bendable prong fastener mounted thereon, a plurality of filler sheets, each having a margin formed with apertures to receive fastener prongs, a foldable section on said margin and a sheet supporting section attached to said foldable section, and a bendable prong fastener on each sheet supporting section, all of said fasteners being uniform and adapted to detachably mount a series of sheets for support thereon independent of the sheets on the other fasteners, the margin of each ller sheet having the openings therein receiving the prongs of a fastener not carried thereby and being detachably m'ounted on the fastener beneath said series of sheets thereon to interconnect all said filler sheets one to another in series and the end one of said series to saidbacking member for supporting said sheets in superimposed relation with said foldable sections arranged in folded relation, each of said ller sheets being movable to provide access to any of said series of sheets on said fasteners independent of the others for inspection, placement and removal.

3. A multiple unit file comprising a plurality of supporting sheets eachr formed of a single piece of material and each adapted to form a backing for independent groups of sheets, a bendable prong fastener on each backing for removably receiving and attaching a group of sheets thereto, and attaching portions on the supporting sheets forming each backing for detachable engagement with the fastener on an adjacent backing between the backing and group of sheets thereon for connecting said backings together successively in chain-like form with said backings supporting said groups of sheets, in superimposed relation in one position, and each backing being movable on its attaching portion Whereby said sheets may be moved out of superimposed relation for providing independent access to the fastener and the group of sheets thereon for removal or reference.

4. A multiple unit file comprising a plurality of filler sheets each having a sheet supporting section carrying a bendable prong fastener and a flexible attaching portion formed with fastener prong receiving openings in the marginal portion, and a folder formed to provide a pair of hingeable covers, a bendableprong fastener on one of said covers, a flexible attaching portion on one of said filler sheets having the prongs of the fastener on said folder engaged through the openings therein, and the flexible attaching portion of each remaining filler sheet having the openings therein successively engaged With the fastener prongs on the ller sheet attached to said folder and each succeeding ller sheet for hingedly connecting said filler sheets together successively and to said folder in chain-like manner, each of the fasteners carried by said folder and filler sheets being adapted to independently receive groups of papers on top of said attaching portions, and the covers on said folder being adapted to enclose all of said sheets therein.

LOUIS W. KARLEN. 

